Tip #15: Recycling plastic and metal
Yes, recycle!
- Plastic food, beverage, detergent, and personal care containers #1 thru #7, under 2 gallons (clean)
- Aluminum cans, foil, pie plates (clean)
- Steel (tin) food and beverage cans (clean)
- Clear plastic take-out lids (clean)
No, do not recycle!
- Styrofoam ®
- Flower pots
- Colored plastic cups (e.g. Solo)
- Black plastic (e.g., take-out trays)
- Bottles that contained hazardous substances
- Plastic wrap, plastic bags
- Clothes hangers
- Spray and aerosol cans
- Bulky plastic (over 2 gallons)
- Paint cans
- Scrap metal
Scrap metal should be deposited on the scrap metal pile, not in the compactor. Some Lowes Garden Centers will take rigid plastic flower pots and trays at no cost. Black plastic is banned, as scanners can not read the recycling code. Take clean plastic wrap and bags to grocery stores or find a location here: www.plasticfilmrecycling.org.
This recycling tip is brought to you by the Transfer Station Committee.
On July 1, Harvard will implement its new SMART (Save Money and Reduce Trash) program. Residents are required to purchase an $80 sticker to gain entry to the Transfer Station, as well as specially marked bags for the disposal of non-recyclable materials. The sticker entitles residents to dispose of glass, paper, metal, plastic, textiles, and books at no charge. Both stickers and bags are on sale now. Each week, the Press is publishing a tip to help readers reduce the volume of their trash, while increasing the volume they recycle.
